Saskatchewan's school divisions are moving their student data onto a new shared information system called MySchoolSask. Currently, there are numerous different student information systems used by the province's schools and this brings challenges whenever a student moves from one division to another.

The system will allow the different divisions to track when a student moves to a new school so that their records and specific learning needs can be more easily accessed by the new institution. Previously, when a student moved to a new division, none of their information would move with them, meaning that if they had any specific learning requirements, those needs might not be met at the new school. 

Director of education for Prairie South School Division Tony Baldwin says that the current process to transfer student data between divisions is both long and laborious. 

"Currently if we have a student who moves even from Holy Trinity to Prairie South here in Moose Jaw we don't have any way of knowing anything about that kid until we go through the process of getting a big paper filed and couriered. It wastes lots of time where we could be helping kids because we are waiting for records. So the opportunity to have a single, province-wide student information system addresses this issue."

Waiting so long for a student's information can also stall that child's learning and progress.

"We see lots of kids who have gaps in their learning because they've moved mid-year and they've been getting something that was particular to them at their old school. When they get to their new school nobody is aware of those things that were provided to them previously. Before you know it, a month has gone by and that kid has got a big gap in their service. Now when the kid walks through the door we're gonna be able to figure out what their needs are and get busy meeting those needs right away. That's the big advantage."

Baldwin is confident that the transition to the new system will be smooth going into the new semester.

So far, 13 of the province's school divisions have opted into the system with the other 14 expected to follow suit within the next year.